Crown Prince Fumihito, Crown Princess Kiko and their son Prince Hisahito took in a flower arrangement contest in Gifu Prefecture.

The event, held in the city of Ogaki on August 1, was part of the national high school cultural festival taking place in the central Japanese prefecture.

Teams of high school students carried out flower arrangement impromptu in five minutes and were assessed based on their performance and final work.

The imperial family later spoke with participants.

The teenaged prince asked how they manage flowers and plants that are difficult to stand.

Prince Hisahito / Doesn't it require a sense of balance?

He also asked how they pace themselves while competing.

The crown prince and his family later visited a museum for an ancient battlefield in the town of Sekigahara.

Looking out from a glass-walled observation room at the Gifu Sekigahara Battlefield Memorial Museum, Hisahito asked if there were houses in the area at the time of the Battle of Sekigahara.

The room overlooks the site of the Battle of Sekigahara which took place in 1600.

The three returned to Tokyo late on August 1 after their two-day trip to Gifu Prefecture.

The crown prince of Akishino is the younger brother of Emperor Naruhito.